Cream City Pacers

Mary Callen has been inspiring countless other runners in Milwaukee for years with her 162 marathon runs and is now taking it to the next generation by being a coach for Girls on the Run. Though, 162 marathons in a lifetime would be enough reason to have Mary, it becomes immeasurably more impressive when you add that Mary is blind and has to rely on a partner to guide her along the way. Listen as she shares how it was to lose her longtime life and running partner, Paul, in 2018, and continue to run on in spite of numerous other adversities and obstacles. Mary does this all with her signature positive attitude and nonstop belief in herself and God.

Heather Deaton, Wealth Advisor at Ellenbecker Investment Group, joins us this week for a wide-ranging conversion about coming back from injury, how to confidently look at your long-term financial wealth, and the impact the State Fair has on our community. Late last summer, Heather went on crutches after discovering she had a stress fracture in her hip. After months of recovery and surgery, Heather is still working her way back to running. Join us as we learn about Heather's mind shift change throughout her road to recovery.

Rick Ruvin, Partner at Falk Ruvin Gallagher Real Estate, joins us to explain how combining meditation and running is the way to start living with intention. As a business owner, mentor, and father we learn how Rick puts the R.E.A.L in Realestate through his leadership style of Reflect, Embrace, and Allow yourself to feel and Let go. Join us as we explore these themes of meditation, gratefulness and daily routines, and how they allow us to live more purposeful and fulfilling lives.

Jill Sommers, a certified performance coach, joins us to discuss how to achieve transformation in sport and life. With more than 30 years of experience, Jill coaches high performers to achieve their ultimate success in life, sport, relationships, and financial freedom. Listen in as we learn how to start building habits and make a positive mindset change that will give you the courage to start living your life with passion.

Joe Vitrano, Wauwatosa East cross country and track coach, joins us this week to talk about the lessons he learned from coaching for over 30 years. Joe has had the opportunity to make an impact on thousands of students and athletes over years. We take a trip down memory lane to discover what makes student-athletes successful, and the greatest takeaways any runner can apply to their life and running careers.

Lucas Florsheim, WIAA State Cross Country Champion and collegiate athlete, joins us this week to talk about what it's been like navigating his freshman year as a collegiate runner during COVID. Coming off his win at state in the fall of 2019, Lucas missed out on his senior year of track because of the pandemic, which led him to focus on his transition to college. Lucas attends Pomona College in Los Angeles, but, as school is currently remote, he has only met his coach a few times and has had the freedom to train in Oregon and start racing in North Carolina. Join us as we explore Lucas's journey.

Mary Bolich, creative writer and Milwaukee running legend, joins us this week. Mary has competitively run since college but really started hitting her stride after graduation. Since then, she has run over 100 marathons and has finished first place more times than we can count. Mary is not only an accomplished runner but she has also spread the joy of running with her family and through her involvement in the Badgerland Striders.

This week we are joined by new runner, Charonne Ganiere, President, Executive Director, and Founder of OneHope27, a non-profit that provides hope and support to those involved in foster care. Charonne "walks the walk", as she is not only an adopted mother of 3 children (along with 2 biological children), but she is also a foster parent herself (watch her and her family on the 88NINE - Radio Milwaukee documentary "At the Threshold"). In our interview, we talk about her life story, her new love for running, and the foster care system in Milwaukee. We hope you enjoy this interview as much as we did.

This week, we are flipping the mic. CCP host, Alex Moehn, had the opportunity to be on "Money Sense" Radio Show, powered by Ellenbecker Investment Group, early this year and today we are sharing that episode. Alex joined Heather Deaton to talk about starting the podcast, how running can be used to keep your body healthy, expand your social circle and connect you to organizations to reach your charitable giving goals.

We all have things we want to let go of, whether it's a fear of achieving a race goal or quitting a job, but we also know it can be hard to let it go. Brian Frain - author, husband to Annie Weiss (FKT holder on the Ice Age Trail), and coach, joins us to tell you that it's time you let go. and that you can achieve any goal you set your mind to. In 2018 while crewing Annie's FKT attempt, Brian documented the journey in his book See You at the Terminus. We dive deep into why he wrote the book, the lessons learned, and what he wants you to take away from Annie's journey.

What does inspiring the next generation of women look like? Tina Jones, the Executive Director of Girls on the Run, joins us to talk about how Girls on the Run enhances girls’ social, psychological, and physical skills and behaviors so they can successfully navigate life experiences. Locally, the organization has been around since 2007 and currently serves over 2,000 girls per year at over 130 sites. The program is in seven counties including Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Waukesha, Washington, Kenosha, Racine, and Walworth. Tina shares how she got involved with Girls on the Run, her favorite memories, and what we can all learn about ourselves from the program.

If you ran 11 miles a day, how much of Milwaukee could you explore from your front door? Bill Hutchinson, also known as MKEJogWalker on Instagram, joins us to talk about how he has explored 40% of Milwaukee's city streets by simply running. That is a ton of streets, in a ton of neighborhoods, across our entire city. Bill has seen it all and captured it all on his Instagram and Strava pages. We dive into what Bill has learned from his adventures, what he loves to take pictures of, and how he brings a whole new level of fun to running. Also: Enter our Koss Headphones Giveaway! Visit creamcitypacers.com/koss to enter.

This week we take a break from our usual interview format and we talk about YOU, our listeners. We read through letters from many people chronicling what accomplishments they are proud of, whether running related or not. 2020 was a crazy year, but we made it through, and we couldn't ask for better listeners and guests. Thank you and Happy 2021. | Big thanks to this week's sponsor, Koss Headphones. Go wireless on your runs with the Wireless FitClips. These wireless Bluetooth headphones are sweat-resistant and perfect for any distance. We’ve been rocking them during our runs and can’t go without them. Use code CCP20 at checkout to get 20% off your entire order on koss.com. | Enter our Koss Headphones Giveaway! Visit creamcitypacers.com/koss to enter.

Can one event entirely change your perspective on life? Jack Coyne, Filmmaker and YouTuber, joins us this week to talk about how losing his father in 2019 was one of those life-changing events that has given him a newfound perspective on life and focus on work. From working with top YouTuber, Casey Neistat, to starting his own YouTube channel, creating films is what Jack loves to do. We learn that running is at the heart of this and the activity that grounds him and fosters his forward movement in work and life. Thanks to this week's sponsor, Performance Running Outfitters. As winter settles in, stock up on all your winter running needs from trail shoes, running jackets, buffs, wool socks, and more. Use promo code CCP10 at checkout to get 10% off your entire order on performancerunning.com or in stores at one of their five locations in the Milwaukee region.

"Long time listener and first-time caller" Mandela Barnes, Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin, joins us for a wide-ranging conversation about the impact urban development has on our communities, how FEAR MKE got him into running, and what he’s learned from being Lieutenant Governor. Bonus info, we discover that the pandemic has turned Mandela into a bird watcher and that 2020 will be his highest mileage year ever! Thanks to this week's sponsor, Performance Running Outfitters. Get the perfect holiday gift for the running companion in your life. Use promo code CCP10 at checkout to get 10% off your entire order on performancerunning.com or in stores at one of their five locations in the Milwaukee region.

There is no better feeling than when life is goodr and today we all get to experience that. Stephen Lease, Co-Founder & CEO of goodr, joins us to talk about how he started the company, and we learn how overcoming fear and taking care of your mental health can be freeing. In 2015, goodr was started to create running sunglasses for people who think running is fun. Since then the company has revolutionized the eyewear industry for runners. Voted best running gear in 2016 and 2018 by Runners World, they are known for their fun, flashy and affordable sunglasses. goodr likes to play by their own rules and that is the same principle Stephen applies to running his business. Thanks to this week's sponsor, Koss Headphones. Go wireless on your runs with the Wireless FitClips. These wireless Bluetooth headphones are sweat-resistant and perfect for any distance. We’ve been rocking them during our runs and can’t go without them. Use code CCP20 at checkout to get 20% off your entire order on koss.com.

Stringing together a 16 week training program to run a marathon is one thing, but stringing together 80,000 words to craft the perfect running novel is another. Paul Maurer, author of The Unforgiving Line, joins us this week to let us go inside his mind and learn how he wrote his latest novel. The story is about two track runners that are generations apart from vastly different lives, but share the same drive and love of running. The best part is it takes right here in Wisconsin. This wide ranging conversation takes down the path of understanding how Paul’s life shaped this book, how he develops characters, what goes into creating some of the most relatable running scenes, and much more. As Paul puts it, “if you put the running aspect aside, I hope you find salvation and peace in your life after reading this book.”

2020 has been a crazy year and for Mayor Dennis McBride it's been the only way he has known being the Mayor of Wauwatosa. From being elected in April during a pandemic election to recently handling the Mayfair Mall shooting, Dennis's run as mayor has been quite unique. However, running is nothing new to Dennis. He has won events such as the 1972 state championship track & field at Tosa East and twice won the Mayfair Marathon, the predecessor to the Lakefront Marathon. Dennis shares with us how he has handled leading during these times. As you can guess, exercise is at the core. We learn that mental self-discipline is a key factor for his success. Tune in this week to hear Dennis detail races, his time growing up in Milwaukee, being the mayor of Tosa, how important our parks system is to our community, how he receives inspiration from Lincoln and Kennedy, and more. And as always make sure you sign up for our Weekly Newsletter and listen to our Pre-Race Pump-Up Song Spotify playlist which contains all of our past guests' answers to one of our rapid-fire questions.

Ever think about running the entire 1,200 miles of the Ice Age Trail? Earlier this summer, North Face-sponsored athlete Coree Woltering did just that while setting the Fastest Known Time on the trail in 21days 13hours and 35minutes. Coree rolled his ankle in the first few days of his run. For most people that would lead to throwing in the towel, but he did not let it stop him from moving forward. As is often the case with successful people, a lot of the failures along the way to glory have been omitted. However, this is not the case with Coree in this interview. We get a chance to hear how a true elite athlete deals with roadblocks, failures, and self-doubt. If this sounds familiar, it's because past guest and friend of the pod, Annie Weiss, had set the previous record. Listen as Coree shares how Annie actually joined alongside him and his crew to help him beat her record! And as always Alex and Apostoli talk about the latest in the running world or running in their world. PLUS they have some great news to share (Hint: Alex has been promising this for a while). Sign up for our newsletter at https://www.creamcitypacers.com/newsletter to get news about our current and past guests, updates in the running world, and cool featured content from YOU, our listeners.

Imagine interviewing running greats like Galen Rupp, Shalane Flanagan, Jared Ward and Des Linden. Now imagine being 19 years old and overseas at the Olympics: Usain Bolt is standing in front of you and you get to ask the first question at the press conference. Chris Chavez made all that and more a reality, while also elevating CITIUS Mag, the magazine he founded, into one of the internet's hottest destinations for running news. He joins us to talk about how he started covering running while at Marquette University, how joining a top NYC running group propelled his performance to the next level, and how one of his stories made it on the daily cover of Sports Illustrated. Also, this week we introduce our Email Newsletter. Read up on local running news and updates from past guests and listeners like you. Want to sign up? Sign up on our website or, even better, send us something that you'd like see on next week's newsletter. And as always, Keep on running.

Yes, you read that right: that's over 2,555 days! For many of us, skipping a run is easy to do, but what happens when you have decided to run every day? And what happens when life throws you the worst possible curveball a parent can get? Enjoy our wide-ranging conversation with Tracy Johnson, President and CEO of Commercial Association of Realtors of Wisconsin, philanthropist, radio-show host and mother of two. Also, the boys catch up on their running and discuss some exciting news in the lives of some or our past guests. https://www.creamcitypacers.com/tracy-johnson

Sean Gavigan, the owner of PrimeTime Timing, one of the largest track and field timing companies in the US, joins us to talk about running a race events company during a pandemic. Sean and his team do events from the WIAA Championships to the Drake Relays, SEC Championships and more. We dig into how PrimeTime Timing is changing the way live sports are consumed and what the future of race events may look like.

Matt Thull, Owner of Thunderdome Running, joins us to talk about living and breathing running as a coach over the past 10 years. After providing us a 16 week training program for the 2020 Lakefront Marathon, we dive deep into his training programs, how different levels of runners handle failure, what you can do to take you to the next level, the story behind the name, and much more.

Ben Schneider, Director of Sales Training & Development and leader of the Diversity and Inclusion Team at Badger Liquor, joins us to talk about a topic that everyone can relate to, mental health. While taking care of yourself is one of the most important things, it’s also one of the easiest to ignore. Ben shares his own mental health journey and gives us his three keys to living a healthy life.

Jeremy Fojut, Cofounder of NEWaukee, tech-startup entrepreneur, podcaster, and more, joins us to talk about why he got into running this year, how he uses it as a tool to ideate, and how he has been rediscovering Milwaukee by running through all our parks. Also, Jeremy details his new rivalry with Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes. Thunderdome Running Update: Officially it's our last running segment for the year with Thunderdome Running. Alex recaps his marathon and Apostoli has some ground breaking news about his next big challenge.

Patrick Bieser, recurring guest of the pod and leader of the Milwaukee Running Group (OMG), joins us to celebrate marathon weekend. We go down memory lane to talk about our past marathons and catch up on other current events like the Fall 50 and OMG reopening their Saturday runs. Also, Patrick shares some much needed advice to Alex as he heads into marathon weekend. Thunderdome Running Update: Apostoli introduces our running segment one last time, as our training with Matt at Thunderdome running comes to an end.

Apostoli and Alex take over this week's episode to talk about how social media is overtaking their lives! The boys recently watched The Social Dilemma on Netflix and talk about their takeaways and what they are doing to take back their free time. Thunderdome Running Update: Alex is coming off a monster weekend with a 20-mile day as he heads into two weeks of tapering before the virtual Lakefront Marathon.

Nïa Obötette, author of the new children’s book “I am a Triathlete”,  joins us to talk about what it’s like to love and participate in a sport dominated by people of another gender and race. Hear how important it is to be the role model for children of color as they learn that limits are a construct of our mind. Also, Nïa shares her story of a long bike ride she took with her father that, in his youth, would have been deemed dangerous (and even suicidal). Thunderdome Running Update: Alex and Apostoli talk about their upcoming marathon (gulp) plans and Alex gives us a full tech review on the massage gun. Purchase I am a Triathlete here  Thank you as always for listening and helping grow Cream City Pacers by sharing our posts, commenting on them, and leaving us a 5-star review on iTunes.

Go pour yourself a cup of coffee and tune into our interview with Matt McClutchy, the owner of Anodyne Coffee Roasters and 4th place finisher at the Cream City Pacers and FEAR MKE #MKERun4Justice. Matt shares with us how he started Anodyne and where it has grown to today, which includes pizza. We also geek out about coffee and learn why running has always been an important part of Matt's life. Thunderdome Running Update: Alex is officially back to running after crushing an 18 mile run over the weekend. Apostoli tells us how, after our interview with Jill Karofsky, he was inspired to (finally) run his #MKERun4Justice race and what he ended up finding in downtown Milwaukee.

It was an honor (no pun intended) to host Jill Karofsky, Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice, to talk about #AlwaysRunning during her campaign, what it was like winning the seat, being sworn into office during her first 100 mile race, and finding time for everything. Thunderdome Running Update: Apostoli announces he is a 5k guy and Alex details how Christina ran a marathon while they were on vacation at Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Was she inspired by Greg Borowski's marathon story from last week's episode? Did you run an impromptu marathon too after listening to the show? Send us your story! And as always, we begin our episode with our intro song being remixed with inspiration taken from our guest’s favorite Pump-Up Song. Can you recognize it before hearing the answer by Jill? Listen to the end to find out what it is along with all her other answers to our Rapid-Fire Questions.

Greg Borowski joins us to talk about the Bay View Running Group and running the 2020 Milwaukee Marathon solo. We also talk about what it is like to have seen, first-hand, the change in news media from paper to digital, as well as the challenges of running the news during a national pandemic, the Democratic National Convention, Kenosha unrest, elections, and more. Thunderdome Running Update: Alex and Apostoli catch up on their shenanigans from the week and talk about how marathon training is going. Alex claims that running has lost its fun and is looking for ways to bring it back. Maybe his trip to Ohio will help? And as always, we begin our episode with our intro song being remixed with inspiration taken from our guest’s favorite Pump-Up Song. Can you recognize it before hearing the answer by Greg. Listen to the end to find out what it is along with all his other answers to our Rapid-Fire Questions.

This week we welcome back Scott Stauske, the Race Director for the Lakefront Marathon and friend of the pod. Listen as we get the behind-the-scenes scoop of what it is like to try and save a USA Top 35 marathon during a global pandemic and how they came up with some genius ways to make the virtual version of the race a fun event for the whole family. Thunderdome Running Update: Alex and Apostoli catch up on their shenanigans from the week and talk about how marathon training is going. Apostoli shares his story about running in the crazy smoky conditions of Bay Area, California. And as always, we begin our episode with our intro song being remixed as inspired by our guest’s favorite Pump-Up Song. Can you recognize it before hearing the answer by Scott? (If you’ve heard Scott’s original episode you will know it’s “Yago”). Episode Details: https://www.creamcitypacers.com/scott-stauske-wrd

Lucia Munoz, Northeastern Mexican Runner, Spanish teacher, restaurant owner of The Laughing Taco and board member of Girls on the Run of SE WI, joins us to talk about training for the virtual New York City Marathon, running a restaurant during the pandemic and what it means to be a part of Girls on the Run. Also, we learn how Laughing Taco got its name. Hint: it's running-related. Thunderdome Running Update: Apostoli heads out to the West Coast for some runs and relaxation, while Alex turns running into a contact sport. Lastly, the boys break down their long together from the weekend. Episode Details: https://www.creamcitypacers.com/lucia-munoz

Jon Noll, ultra runner, joins us to talk about how after running for 51 hours and covering 212.5 miles he was the last person standing during the Quarantine Backyard Ultra back in July. If you are unfamiliar with the backyard ultra concept, you have to run 4.167 miles every hour until there is only one person standing (running). Bonus points, because Jon did the entire race on his treadmill. Also this week, Papa John’s pizza makes its way back into the show since our love affair for it back on our Valentine's Day episode. Thunderdome Running Update: Apostoli is officially back to running this week and Alex soared through some tough workouts with the recent cool temps. Episode Details: https://www.creamcitypacers.com/jon-noll

Kayla Sell, the Mastermind behind The Striders Virtual Challenges joins us to talk about how the Badgerland Striders are keeping members motivated and connected since day one of the pandemic with their virtual challenges (@16:25). Also this week, Alex shares his story about encountering killer bees on his run during his weekend up north. We hear from Hannah Seneczko on what running the #mkerun4justice meant for her and we give multiple reminders that T-Shirt pick up is still happening at Mimosa in Brookfield.

This week we are joined by runner, pastor of Southbrook Church, Inner-City activist, Police Chaplain, and all-around kind human being, Jonathan Misirian. Listen as we discuss how one can actively take a stance in this divided world by understanding all sides at the same time by following the “5 L’s” principle. Also we discuss Lakefront Marathon’s Cancelation, MKE’s 50K World Record Attempt, our Lakefront Marathon training (?) and the wrap up of our “MKE Run 4 Justice” Virtual race that we hosted with our friends at FEAR MKE.

Phaedra Christou (@21:48) of the FrontRunners Milwaukee joins us for a colorful conversation about her journey into running with her running group, which is largely made up of the LGBTQ community. Listen as we discuss complex topics like inequality, leadership, and the latest exciting news for our country. Also, Phaedra tells that the one song you need to listen to on your next run is "Thank You for the Music" by ABBA. Plus, we give you the latest scoop on what Milwaukee's Mask Mandate means when you are running. BONUS: listen for a guest surprise appearance from our friend Patrick Bieser, leader of Milwaukee Running Group.

This week’s updates include details about our #Mkerun4justice 8.46K which is now LIVE, our week’s running hiccups, and other running- and non-running banter. A lot of fun banter, so banter away with us.

We are joined by our friend Ranell Washington from Social X and FEAR MKE, our partners in ourvVirtual 8.46K Race "MKE Run for Justice" to raise funds to bring awareness in the fight against racial and social injustice. Listen to Ranell talk about running and how we can all work towards a better future. Registration closes Monday, July 6: https://raceroster.com/events/2020/32542/mke-run-4-justice.

Tune in this week as Alex and Apostoli announce the details of their virtual 8.46K race-collaboration with FEAR MKE to benefit Urban Underground. Also listen as they catch up on their Lakefront Marathon training and talk about the importance of track workouts.

Listen as Alex and Apostoli talk about how training is going (or not), previewing CCP's partnership with FEAR MKE on the 8.46K virtual race in honor of George Floyd and to benefit local charity. Also, we cap the episode with a live appearance at the 2020 Wisconsin Podathon. 

Tune in and hear us talk about our upcoming marathon training starting next week, Alex's recent obstacle, base mileage and what it should mean. 

Listen as we catch up on our running updates and as we announce our first ever race in honor of George Floyd and to 100% support local causes. Also we talk about embarking on our new marathon journey. 

Listen as Alex sits down with Cream City local John Dewitt, who just recently participated in his second US Olympic Trials. They talk about what it's like to be around the greats, running in Milwaukee, and, of course, their mutual love for Taylor Swift.

This week, the boys break down how they beat Molly Seidel at the #SlowMileChallenge, discuss their race strategy for the Boston Marathon and they discuss what’s up with the Hanson Marathon Method. Show Details: https://www.creamcitypacers.com/we-beat-an-olympian

How slow can you run a mile? In a world where people are always going after PRs, we are challenging you to do the opposite. How slow will you run?

Listen as this week we talk about getting tired of the same old shoes, the state's reopening, beating Kipchoge in a 5K, and #irunwithmaud. Learn More: https://www.creamcitypacers.com/someone-needs-a-new-pair-of-shoes

Tune in as Alex and Apostoli discuss CCP's 1-Year Anniversary by discussing the Trilogy Celebration episodes launched last week. Also, hear them talk about their personal running week, all here in the great running city of Milwaukee. Learn More: https://www.creamcitypacers.com/still-celebrating

This week the boys catch up by discussing how running has made their lives healthier and drop 6 science-backed ways running can improve your health. Also, Apostoli is officially back to running…for now. Learn More: https://www.creamcitypacers.com/running-for-your-health

Our three-part celebration series comes to an end. To celebrate one year of the podcast, we caught up with some of our past guests. In part 3 of 3, we end with: (3:40) Roy Pirrung tells us how his Six Days in the Dome race went last year and how that has been impacting his running. Roy and I also got to catch up at a race either this year and we hear what else Roy has been up to (18:55) Annie Weiss tells us how she has been working on building speed on the road and gives us a look at her race plans for 2020. Annie also released her own podcast. She spills the details during our convo. (36:10) Tim Cigelske - AKA the Beer Runner tells us about his ups and downs with running since our live episode at PodFest MKE, from running the Disney Marathon and winning beer for a year to coming back from injury in the past few months. We also geek out over the Peloton app. (50:10)George Herrera details how his first bike race went this year, his adventurous race plan for 200 and how Sugar and Flour is transitioning during these times. (1:01:40) And finally, to end the series, we catch up with Dr. Adel Korkor. During our episode with Adel, he was getting ready to open up registration for his Five Fifty Fifty race series. Since then, the race has transitioned to a virtual race. We talk about that and how he’s encouraging people to stay active and healthy both physically and mentally during these times. You can register for the virtual race at http://fivefiftyfifty.com. Learn More: https://www.creamcitypacers.com/one-year-celebration-part-3

Welcome back to our three-part celebration series. To celebrate one year of the podcast, we caught up with some of our past guests. In part 2, we catch up with: (3:15) Scott Stauske recaps the 2019 Lakefront Marathon and what’s in the works for this year’s race. (17:52) Michael Lovell gives us an update on how running is going for him with the Marquette campus shut down. Plus, we finally learn his favorite pre-race pump-up song. (27:44) Manuel Merkt updates us on how his first marathon went last year and his future race plans. (38:22) David Luy joined us for our first live episode at the Lakefront Marathon Expo. At the time David was battling injury and did not race. We talk about how he’s back at it and reconnecting with running a whole new way. (51:15) Lastly, I caught up with Jenny Zwagerman who was also on our panel at the Lakefront Marathon Expo. Jenny recaps her race, talks about her training plan, and about her current run streak. Learn More: https://www.creamcitypacers.com/one-year-celebration-part-2